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RICHMOND, Va., March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL) announced today that Simon Wilson, currently President of Markel International, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the company's three primary underwriting businesses—Markel Specialty, Markel International, and Markel Global Reinsurance—which will collectively be referred to as Markel Insurance. This leadership transition is part of a broader effort to sharpen the company's customer focus by empowering each of their teams to serve the distinct needs of their respective markets—an approach that propelled Markel's growth from a small U.S. insurer when it went public in 1986 to a global specialty insurance leader.
Mr. Wilson comes to the position with more than 20 years of experience scaling the operations of large specialty insurance organizations. He joined Markel in 2010 to spearhead international business development, and he was the primary architect of the expansion of Markel International beyond London, scaling operations in Europe, Canada, and Asia that collectively grew to $2.5 billion in annual gross written premium last year. In January 2020, Wilson was appointed Managing Executive of Global Strategy for Markel, where he directly supported all underwriting operations. Since he became President of Markel International in 2021, the division increased gross written premiums by nearly 40 percent and net underwriting profit by more than 250 percent. Prior to joining the company, Wilson led the Lloyd's Asia platform in Singapore.
"Simon is a proven leader with extensive insurance expertise, and his leadership approach aligns with both the Markel Style and our current needs," said Tom Gayner, Chief Executive Officer of Markel Group. "Markel's growth has been impressive, but it also brought new challenges and unnecessary complexity, as confirmed by our ongoing Board-led business review. At times, we unintentionally made it harder for our people to serve our customers. I'm confident in Simon's vision for growing this fortress of an insurance business through teams that are focused on serving the customers and markets that they know best."
"I am deeply honored by this opportunity," said Wilson. "Markel is at its best when our leaders are given equal parts empowerment and accountability. Our work going forward will ensure that we make decisions as close to the customer as possible, reduce complexity, and restore our commitment to being a market leader in each of our pursuits."
As a result of this leadership transition, Jeremy Noble will be leaving the company.
Gayner added, "I've worked alongside Jeremy for more than 20 years and am immensely grateful for his relentless efforts on behalf of the business, in particular during the past few years as he worked to strengthen the foundation of our insurance operations."
Alongside this leadership transition, the State National and Nephila leadership teams will continue to operate with a high degree of autonomy and they will now report directly into Markel Group, alongside Markel Insurance. These three businesses will continue to actively collaborate where opportunities exist in the marketplace.
About Markel Group
Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL) is a diverse family of companies that includes everything from insurance to bakery equipment, building supplies, houseplants, and more. The leadership teams of these businesses operate with a high degree of independence, while at the same time living the values that we call the Markel Style. Our specialty insurance business sits at the core of our company. Through decades of sound underwriting, the insurance team has provided the capital base from which we built a system of businesses and investments that collectively increase Markel Group's durability and adaptability. It's a system that provides diverse income streams, access to a wide range of investment opportunities, and the ability to efficiently move capital to the best ideas across the company. Most importantly though, this system enables each of our businesses to advance our shared goal of helping our customers, associates, and shareholders win over the long term. Visit mklgroup.com to learn more.
RICHMOND, Va., March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL) announced today that Simon Wilson, currently President of Markel International, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the company's three primary underwriting businesses—Markel Specialty, Markel International, and Markel Global Reinsurance—which will collectively be referred to as Markel Insurance. This leadership transition is part of a broader effort to sharpen the company's customer focus by empowering each of their teams to serve the distinct needs of their respective markets—an approach that propelled Markel's growth from a small U.S. insurer when it went public in 1986 to a global specialty insurance leader.
Mr. Wilson comes to the position with more than 20 years of experience scaling the operations of large specialty insurance organizations. He joined Markel in 2010 to spearhead international business development, and he was the primary architect of the expansion of Markel International beyond London, scaling operations in Europe, Canada, and Asia that collectively grew to $2.5 billion in annual gross written premium last year. In January 2020, Wilson was appointed Managing Executive of Global Strategy for Markel, where he directly supported all underwriting operations. Since he became President of Markel International in 2021, the division increased gross written premiums by nearly 40 percent and net underwriting profit by more than 250 percent. Prior to joining the company, Wilson led the Lloyd's Asia platform in Singapore.
"Simon is a proven leader with extensive insurance expertise, and his leadership approach aligns with both the Markel Style and our current needs," said Tom Gayner, Chief Executive Officer of Markel Group. "Markel's growth has been impressive, but it also brought new challenges and unnecessary complexity, as confirmed by our ongoing Board-led business review. At times, we unintentionally made it harder for our people to serve our customers. I'm confident in Simon's vision for growing this fortress of an insurance business through teams that are focused on serving the customers and markets that they know best."
"I am deeply honored by this opportunity," said Wilson. "Markel is at its best when our leaders are given equal parts empowerment and accountability. Our work going forward will ensure that we make decisions as close to the customer as possible, reduce complexity, and restore our commitment to being a market leader in each of our pursuits."
As a result of this leadership transition, Jeremy Noble will be leaving the company.
Gayner added, "I've worked alongside Jeremy for more than 20 years and am immensely grateful for his relentless efforts on behalf of the business, in particular during the past few years as he worked to strengthen the foundation of our insurance operations."
Alongside this leadership transition, the State National and Nephila leadership teams will continue to operate with a high degree of autonomy and they will now report directly into Markel Group, alongside Markel Insurance. These three businesses will continue to actively collaborate where opportunities exist in the marketplace.
About Markel Group
Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL) is a diverse family of companies that includes everything from insurance to bakery equipment, building supplies, houseplants, and more. The leadership teams of these businesses operate with a high degree of independence, while at the same time living the values that we call the Markel Style. Our specialty insurance business sits at the core of our company. Through decades of sound underwriting, the insurance team has provided the capital base from which we built a system of businesses and investments that collectively increase Markel Group's durability and adaptability. It's a system that provides diverse income streams, access to a wide range of investment opportunities, and the ability to efficiently move capital to the best ideas across the company. Most importantly though, this system enables each of our businesses to advance our shared goal of helping our customers, associates, and shareholders win over the long term. Visit mklgroup.com to learn more.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Markel Group appoints Simon Wilson as Chief Executive Officer of Markel Insurance
The aluminum battery leader's Elevator Regenerative Power System reclaims wasted power and yields carbon credits with every lift.
KAOHSIUNG, Jan. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- APh ePower, the global leader in commercialized aluminum battery technology, announced today that it has received the prestigious 2025 R&D 100 Award. This honor recognizes the company's innovative Elevator Regenerative Power System (ERPS), which reimagines one of modern life's most ubiquitous machines as a high-performance distributed energy-recovery engine. By capturing kinetic energy from every ride, APh ePower provides an industrial-grade solution that bridges the gap between energy efficiency and sustainable asset management.
Elevators generate recoverable energy during two predictable phases: ascending with a light load and descending with a heavy one. The ERPS captures that energy using high-efficiency DC-to-DC converters, achieving over 90% conversion efficiency – and stores it in an ultra-safe aluminum battery capable of rapid charge and discharge.
The result is instant energy recovery and storage, ensuring power is available when needed. This system guarantees continued elevator operation during outages and enhances occupant safety, providing buildings with a level of resilience that traditional systems cannot match.
In April 2025, APh ePower achieved another major milestone: Gold Standard approved the first globally applicable methodology enabling elevator regenerative power systems to generate carbon credits. The methodology defines how regenerative energy savings are quantified and verified, transforming those savings into tradable emission reductions. This approval opens a new pathway for elevator projects within the voluntary carbon market.
The potential impact of ERPS is immense. With over 15 million elevators operating worldwide, APh ePower's system can cut energy use by more than 40%, unlocking 164 TWh of annual savings—a figure that surpasses the total power consumption of many hyperscale AI data centers. This positions APh ePower at the forefront of industrial decarbonization by creating a significant new stream for carbon credits from verified energy savings.
Gold Standard CEO Margaret Kim praised the technology, stating, "We're proud to endorse APh ePower's innovative methodology for harnessing regenerative energy from elevator operations. Such practical application of regenerative energy not only drives down overall consumption but also delivers real, verifiable reductions in carbon emission. This is exactly the kind of scalable, high-integrity solution we champion at Gold Standard."For APh ePower, elevators are only the first step. The company is currently extending its aluminum-based dynamic storage technology into AI data center backup systems, hybrid mobility platforms, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), robotics, and the infrastructure shaping next-generation smart cities. As global electrification accelerates, aluminum batteries are emerging as an essential pathway for applications requiring rapid charge-discharge performance and enhanced safety. APh ePower's broader ambition is to redefine how everyday devices capture, store, and monetize energy—turning routine operational dynamics into measurable, financeable gains.
APh ePower's website: https://www.global.aph-epower.com/
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
APh ePower Secures 2025 R&D 100 Award for Pioneering Elevator Energy Recovery
